Moonlight Serenade
by Ghosts of the Past
Summary: Steve Rogers, known to the world as Captain America, but to his friends he was simply Steve Rogers the kid from Brooklyn who wouldn't stand down to bullies. His two best friends, James Barnes and Serena Dover, have been with him since the beginning. But things change at the beginning of WW2. Starts in CA: TFA follows into Avengers, CA: TWS and AoU. Full Summary inside.
1. Just Once

**Sorry that I haven't posted any new chapters lately but rather been spurting out new ideas for stories. I just can't help it. Please try to understand. Either way I hope you enjoy, or at least like, this story. It dives into a little bit more of the background of Captain Steve Rogers, before and after the transformation. Most of it will, or at least I try to make it, from Steve's P.O.V. But there will be some Chapters that, for story purposes, will be told in other people's P.O.V, like for example the next chapter.  
**

 **Enough about that, enjoy the chapter. My longest one yet. Oh and obviously I, sadly, don't own any of these characters; *hint hint*, not even Jack.**

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 _ **Steve Rogers, known to the world as Captain America, but to his friends he was simply Steve Rogers the kid from Brooklyn who wouldn't stand down to bullies. He was always the kid being picked on and beaten up. But his two best friends, James Barnes and Serena Dover, have been with him since the beginning. Serena is Steve's neighbor but unlike everyone else she actually wants to be Steve's friend. She was the first one that stood up for him and since then they had been best friends. But things change at the beginning of WW2. Starts in CA: TFA follows into Avengers, CA: TWS and AoU.  
**_

* * *

 **Steve's P.O.V**

The first time I laid eyes on her, she was looking down at me from the fire escape. I thought that she was pretty but kind of shy. Her name was Serena Dover; she was an only child and lived with her Ma and Pa. Soon she became my best friend. We grew up together, separated only by a single floor. As my best friend she became my whole world because no one else wanted to be my friend. But things changed when we met a kid named James Buchanan Barnes, otherwise known as Bucky the kid from around the corner.

"You're such loser Rogers." The neighborhood bully sneered out. I glared at Jack. It was just another usual day for me. Standing up for Serena's honor, even though she's told me repeatedly not to; I couldn't help it.

"Leave him alone Jack," Serena shouted out. She stood a few feet away from Jack and I. I was on the ground, per usual, and Jack looked over his shoulder.

"Why are you sticking up for this punk, doll?" Jack asked turning around to face Serena.

"That 'punk' happens to be my best friend." Serena snapped back at Jack. I couldn't help but smile at her statement. Jack started to walk closer to Serena as I stumbled to stand up.

"Why are you friends with him though? I mean it's obvious that your way to pretty for him? The kid is practically a walking bunching bag." Jack walked closer towards Serena, she just glared at him. Out of nowhere she gave him a right mean hook causing Jack to fall on the ground. She walked over to me, inspecting my injuries like always, and shook her head at me. I couldn't help but just smile at her.

"Steven Rogers, when are you going to learn to stop getting into fights?" Serena asked me. I shook my head.

"He was asking for it." I said, jerking my head over to Jack. He was sitting on the ground with a bloody nose.

"Just like you weren't asking to get hit today? Steve you've got to stop this. It's not good for you to be getting into fights, much less be outside on a day like this." Serena said. She picked up my coat and wrapped it around me as she clearly saw me shiver from the cold. We were walking out of the ally when we ran into another figure. I thought it was another neighborhood bully.

"You have a mean right hook doll," The voice said. Serena looked up at the voice.

"Who are you?" She asked bluntly. The boy smiled at her response.

"The names' James. James Barnes. But call me Bucky." The boy held out his hand and Serena looked at him like he was crazy. Then slowly she shook his hand.

"You need some help?" Bucky asked. Serena shook her head. She was so persistent when it came to my well-being. My mother and her were like two peas in a pod. They wouldn't let anyone, they didn't know, touch me.

"You never told me your names," Bucky said as he continued to walk beside us, down a crowded street.

"The names' Serena. Serena Dover. This is my best friend Steven Rogers. Excuse us." Serena said as she walked around Bucky. I knew she wanted to get me inside before I caught another cold.

That's how we met my, our, best friend Bucky. In an ally, in the middle of winter, right after Serena had punched Jack in the nose. We were known as the three musketeers to Bucky's mom. When I got into trouble either Serena or Bucky was always there for me. When we got older and entered High School Bucky was always sticking up for me. Serena was usually too busy with her studies to hang out with us. But when she could it was like nothing had changed between us.

It wasn't until the summer of Serena and I's junior year that I realized I was truly, deeply, madly in love with Serena. The same Serena who, even though she was popular at school, always found a spot to sit next to me during lunch; The same Serena who would stick up for me when Jack and his friends would pick on me in the school yard; The same Serena who I'd known for my entire life, who'd always be out of league.

But Serena never made me feel bad about myself, same goes for Bucky. She always gave me a smile, even when she had a bad day. We'd walk to and from school together. Serena was the only girl I felt comfortable being around. Beside no one else in school paid me any mind, except Serena.

When my mother died Serena took it nearly has hard as I did. Bucky called us both a mess, but with a sincere heart. Serena smacked his shoulder and Bucky feigned pain. Serena rolled her eyes. She knew Bucky was just trying to cheer us up, nothing more.

"Bucky stop," Serena asked. She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me as we walked back to the street. Bucky was trailing behind us as we walked the two blocks from the cemetery to the bus stop. The bus ride home was silent between the three of us. No one dared to say a word.

"I kind of wanna be alone," I said as we climbed the stairs up to my house. Serena followed behind me as well as Bucky.

"How was it?" Bucky asked. He hadn't been able to make it to the service.

"It was okay. She's next to Dad." I said. Serena let out a sigh as I struggled to look for my key. I guess I must have lost it somehow.

"I was gonna ask how long are you gonna be a hermit?" Bucky asked jokingly. I shook my head. I could imagine Serena glaring at Bucky as I fumbled around in my coat to try and find my key.

"Bucky," Serena's voice sounded stern as though she was warning him. I guess she didn't want to get me upset. Serena and Bucky had always been at odds with each other but they balanced each other out and I did my best to settle things between them. That was how our little group worked.

* * *

In 1937 Serena and her family moved to England. She told me that her father had taken up a job there and the company was moving them to London so he could be closer to the Company's headquarters. I remember the day she told Bucky and me. I felt so crushed. I didn't want her to leave. I wanted to tell her that I loved her but I couldn't. The night before she left the three of us went out to go see "Shall We Dance". Bucky wanted the three of us to spend just one more night together before she left us. Her two 'Brothers' as she called us. After the movie she convinced us, even me, to go dancing. I was terrible at dancing but she didn't care.

"Save the last dance for me?" I had asked her. Serena smiled at me and nodded her head.

"Always," Serena said before Bucky had the chance to pull her onto the dance floor. The band started playing 'One o'clock Jump'. Serena let out a light laugh as Bucky twirled her around on the dance floor. I watched at he pulled her closer to him and they laughed at things that they whispered into each others' ears.

Serena was asked by many other guys to dance but she only accepted a few. Bucky had only asked a few other girls to dance and when he was off dancing with the other girls Serena was sitting next to me, trying to regain her energy before someone else or Bucky asked for another dance.

"You really should learn how to dance Steve. It's a wonderful feeling." Serena said to me. I smiled at her. She had been trying to get me to dance ever since the 8th grade. I had always turned her down because who would want to dance with me? I was just the weak sickly kid that had coughing fits from just walking up two flights of stairs. I wasn't the most ideal person to dance with.

"You know I can't Rena," I said. She looked over to me and threw me a guilty look before her eyes sparkled with an idea.

"Then I'll teach you how to slow dance." Serena said with a beautiful smile on her face. "It's not as bad as this," She pointed the dance floor. I let out a small chuckle, nodding my head.

"But at least you'll be good at slow dancing." Serena said. Just as she stood up the MC walked up to the microphone and announced that the band would be playing the last song of the night. Serena stood up and held out her hand for me to take.

"I promised you the last dance, remember?" Serena said with a smile. I let myself be lead by Serena to the dance floor. The song the band was playing was 'Once in Awhile'. Serena led us slowly around the dance floor. We swayed side to side as Serena hummed to the words. I couldn't help but feel happy, even if this would only last for a few minutes.

That was the last time I saw her. Serena and I had kept in touch, as much as we could, through writing to each other. We wrote to each other about how our lives were doing, what we wanted to do with our lives. But things changed for her in the fall of 1939. It was just two years after she had left New York that word of a growing threat was rising in Europe. And things changed for me, for America, in the winter of 1941. "A date which will live in infamy" were the famous words uttered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt a day after the Jap's attacked Pearl Harbor.

A week later Bucky and I volunteered to join the Army. Bucky was accepted and I was rejected. I had tried four other times, while Bucky was away at training camp, to join the Army. Each time I was rejected, just like before; just like always.

It wasn't until the summer of 1943 that things started to change for me. I had just tried to join the army, again. Bucky had saved me once again from a guy who was punching in the back of a movie theater.

"Hey," Bucky's voice shouted out. "Pick on someone your own size." Bucky said as he pulled the guy off of me. The next thing I heard was Bucky punching the guy and then kicking him out of the alley.

"Sometime I think you like getting punched." Bucky said walking back to me as I stumbled to stand up.

"I had him on the ropes." I said, wincing when I felt my eye.

"How many times is this?" Bucky asked as he clearly saw my enlistment form on the ground near to me. I guess it had fallen out of my coat pocket when the guy punched me in the eye. He picked up the form and opened it.

"Oh you're from Paramus now." Bucky looked at me. I didn't bother to look at him. I knew he would give me 'The look', the one that say 'You're insane for trying to join the army, Again! I didn't pay him any mind. I was too busy wiping the dirt off of me and then wiping the blood off my nose.

"You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form." Bucky told me. Something I already knew but didn't care about. I wanted to join the fight, I didn't like bullies no matter where they came from because they were all the same. They always were picking on the little guys.

"But seriously, Jersey?" Bucky's voice sounded like he was disgusted with my choice of city, honestly so was I. That's when I finally looked at Bucky. I mean really looked at Bucky. He was wearing his uniform.

"You get your orders?" I asked him, though it was clearly obvious that he did. Bucky looked at me and paused for a moment, as though what he was about to say was going to hurt me in some way. And I knew it would.

"The 107th. Sergeant James Barnes, shipping out for England first thing tomorrow." Bucky said as I looked at him from head to toe. He pressed his lips together in a firm manner.

"I should be going." I said as I brushed off the last bit of dirt off me. Bucky, being the one who didn't like to dwell in the past, clamped his hand down on my shoulder before wrapping his arm around me.

"Come on man, it's my last night." He said as he cracked a smile, releasing me from his grip. He looked at me from head to toe. "I gotta get you cleaned up." He said as he threw aside my fake enlistment form.

"Why? Where are we going?" I asked as we walked out of the alley. Bucky shoved a newspaper into my hands. I looked down at it and saw the front page plastered with the words "World Expositions of Tomorrow".

"The future."

* * *

Later that night Bucky and I were walking around the Expo grounds right outside the building's entrance. What happened next was not what I had in mind.

"I don't see what the problem is?" Bucky had his hands in his pocket as he shrugged his shoulders in confusion. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there's three and a half million women here."

"Yeah well I'd just settle for one." I mumbled out. I was busy staring at the ground.

"Just one or just Serena?" Bucky asked throwing me his good humor smirk. In the end he just shook his head. "Either way it's a good thing I already took care of that." Bucky was waving to someone when I lifted my head up to try and see who he was waving too.

"Hey Bucky," A girl's voice shouted out. I groaned eternally. Bucky had set me up on another double blind date. I hated them, mostly because I would just end up being the chaperone like person on the date. The girls that Bucky had set me up with usually wouldn't give me the time of day, let alone want to be on a date with me.

"What did you tell her about me?" I said trying to hide my discontentment with the date arrangement.

"Only the good stuff." Bucky said with his usual smirk. I didn't say anything but went along with Bucky. The girl had long blonde hair and was wearing a dark shade of red dress. She took one look at me and frowned. I wasn't surprised, that was just something I was used to.

* * *

Later that night Howard Stark was showing off his newest invention and my 'date' was completely ignoring me. I was picking around in the bag of peanuts that I had bought from a nearby stand. But as people were watching Howard Stark reveal his new invention I spotted a recruitment center and started to wander away from Bucky and the girls.

I looked at the "Join the Army" propaganda posters. I stepped up and only came to the cut out's shoulders. I let out a sigh. Of course I would never be good enough to meet the Armies standards.

"Come on, you're kind of missing the point of a double date." Bucky had clamped his hand on my shoulder, "We're taking the girls dancing." Bucky said with a smile. I groaned slightly once more. Bucky knew I wasn't any good at dancing, even though after Serena left he tried to teach me.

"You go ahead. I'll catch up with you." I offered knowing that I wouldn't get anywhere. Bucky looked at me, seeing where we were standing, and shook his head slightly.

"You really gonna do this again?" Bucky asked, jerking his head over to the line of guy going in and out. I shrugged my shoulders. 'Why not?' I thought.

"Well it's a Fair, I'm gonna try my luck." I stated matter-of-factually. Bucky rolled his eyes, or what seemed to be him rolling his eyes.

"As who? Steve from Ohio?" Bucky asked, shoving his hands into his pocket. "They'll catch, worse they'll actually take you." Bucky's voice was rising in anger. I knew he only wanted to protect me, like him and Serena had always done.

"Look I know you don't think I can do this-." I started to say in protest. Bucky let out a short sigh before stepping forward and saying,

"This isn't a back alley Steve; it's war."

"I know it's a war." I said as I held my head down casted. This wasn't the first time we had things kind of fight. Ever since I had been rejected the first time around I had kept going back, trying and trying again to enlist. Bucky caught me the third time around. He wasn't happy about my decision to join.

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs-" Bucky was starting to get angry with me; it was clear in his face. I knew I was really just getting him annoyed to no end.

"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" I stated back. The truth was that was probably about the only job left that I could do.

"Yes!" Bucky shouted out. I rolled my eyes at Bucky.

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory Bucky-" My voice was starting to get louder than Bucky's. Unbeknownst to me we had attracted the attention of the man who would change my life forever.

"I don't want-" Bucky said over me but I continued with what I was trying to tell him.

"Bucky come on, there are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me." I said to him, finally getting him to stop talking.

"Right; cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky let out a reluctant sigh. His anger slowly subsiding as well as his annoyance.

"Hey Serge, are we going dancing?" The voice of the girl Bucky was on a date with called out. She and her friend were standing outside the recruitment, both looking rather annoyed with Bucky and me. Bucky on the other hand, turned around and held out his arms before saying,

"Yes we are." Just to please the girls. I rolled my eyes before he turned back around to face me. Bucky started to walk away from me as he let out a sigh and reminded of the thing him and Serena had told me to stop doing a long time ago.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back." Bucky said, walking backwards.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." I said. The ending to our usual banters. Bucky wasn't going to try and stop me, even though he tried hard to. Bucky turned around and started to walk back over to me and shook his head in the process.

"You're a punk." He said out loud as he leaned down to give me a hug.

"Jerk; be careful." I said to him as I patted him on his back. He started to walk back but before he could get to far I called out to him.

"Don't win the war until I get there." Bucky turned to face me, gave me a mocking salute and shook his head. As he turned around to walk over to the girls he wrapped his arms around their waist and started to pull them away to go dancing.

"Come on girls; their playing our song." Bucky's voice was faint but sounded like he was happy, even though he was still most likely thinking of my decision not happy about it.

* * *

 **So sorry that there was a lot of jumping around in the beginning of Captain America: The First Avenger scenes. I was really just trying to get to the point and to move it along much quicker, plus if you've seen the movie (I mean why wouldn't you have seen the movie it's amazing) than you already know what happens and I'm writing this off from memory and clips that I can find on YouTube.**

 **Also if you're offended by my writing usage of 'Jap's' I do apologize. I don't mean any offense by it. I'm just trying to be historically correct and my Grandfather, who served in WW2 around the same time that this story is set, said that this is what they used to call them when they were talking about the Japanese.**

 **Anyways Thanks for reading the story, once again I hope you enjoyed it and please kindly leave a review.**


	2. As Time Goes By

**Sorry for the spelling and/or grammatical errors that might have shown in the last Chapter or this Chapter, cause let's face it I won't be able to catch all of them.  
**

 **Like I said this Chapter is told from another person's P.O.V. Most Chapters will be from Steve's P.O.V but a few will be told in other person's P.O.V, mainly so we can see what they are thinking about. A warning about the Chapters that are told from Steve's P.O.V, I am writing about Steve the way I see him as he is portrayed in the movies and how I interpret them. I am open to suggestions about Steve's personality, really anything that would make him seem more realistic in the eyes of fans or readers.**

 **tate4eva \- First let me say, thank you for being the first to leave a review. I also hope that this lives up to your expectations.**

 **LeeForShort \- Thank you for being in love with this already, honestly this was not how I originally planned to start the story. But I hope that this Chapter will cause you to fall in love with the story again, or at least the characters.**

* * *

 **Re-Cap  
**

 _ **Steve Rogers explains to us the early years of his childhood, how me met his two best friends; James Barnes and Serena Dover. Steve explains his ups and downs growing up and how he fell in love with Serena but was to shy to admit it to her. As we get closer to present times Steve is shown being beaten up in an alley way, once again, and Bucky coming to his aid. Bucky tired once again, before he is shipped out to England, to set Steve up with a date; which ends in a disaster. Steve tries his lucky once more in joining the Army, against Bucky's protest.  
**_

* * *

 **Serena's P.O.V**

Two years after I left America I was thrown into a world that was ruled by fear and chaos, absolute chaos. My father joined the army, much to my mother's discontent; and then I followed him two year later in 1941 after hearing about what the Japanese did to Pearl Harbor. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe what the world had come to. Why couldn't we just live in peace? Or at least respect other people's way of life. But in all fairness I could see why we had gotten involved. Hitler had declared war on England because we would not yield to his wishes, honestly the man was mad.

Two years later, in 1943, I was working as a Liaison Officer for the London base S.S.R to the U.S Army. I was one of only a few females to work as a Liaison Officer otherwise our co-workers were all males. As of right now I was stationed in the U.S, New Jersey to be more exact. I was accompanying Howard Stark, the U.S's top weapon's contractor, and Dr. Abraham Erskine to New York. I was beyond excited. It had been six years since I had last seen my friends. Steve had written to me over the years but recently the letters had become scarce. I could only imagine the trouble that those two had gotten into over the last six years that I was gone. Well more like Steve getting into trouble and Bucky pulling him out of trouble.

"Rena, you coming?" Howard called out for me. I looked away from the stack of letter that I had kept from Steve and over to Howard, who was leaning in the doorway of my room. I rolled my eyes before looking at Howard in the eye.

"Get out of my room Howard," I scolded him as I grabbed something to throw at him. Howard smirked as he dodged the hairbrush I threw at him.

"Hurry it up then sunshine." Howard said as he tossed me back my hairbrush. I rolled my eyes at him once more. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I was off duty but that didn't mean that I wasn't packing, I was wearing a plain dark navy blue dress that reached just below my knees with three-quarter sleeves and plain black t-strap heels. I moved over to the small vanity that the letters were on and quickly put them away in the desk, hidden from view.

"I'm ready." I announced as I came down the stairs. Howard smiled at me and Dr. Erskine offered me his arm, which I accepted gladly. The one good thing about staying in one of Howard's many houses was that it was big enough to lose the man, at least for an hour or so. Howard's butler, Mr. Jarvis as I was told, held open the front door and waited till everyone was outside.

"Where's Peggy?" I asked out loud to no one in particular. Howard climbed into the back seat, offering the front seat to Dr. Erskine.

"Ms. Carter had requested that she be at the Expo when it opened. I drove her about two hours ago Ms. Dover." I smiled at Mr. Jarvis. He was certainly a Brit to the bone. I had insisted that he called me Serena but he never did, so I resolved to call him Mr. Jarvis.

"Thank you Mr. Jarvis, you are quiet helpful." I said as I climbed into the back seat, next to Howard. I was quiet jealous of my friend Agent Peggy Carter. She had the easy job, looking after Dr. Erskine. I on the other hand had to look after the man-child himself, Howard Stark. The world's most notorious playboy. He drove me insane, no doubt about that. I didn't mind it for the most part, seeing that he was truly a good man once you got to know him, but he did have his moments when I wanted to punch him in the face.

"No games, Howard." I warned Howard, knowing that he wouldn't be up to any good if I didn't put my foot down. Dr. Erskine let out a soft chuckle and Howard held up his hands.

"Alright sunshine, I'll say that you're my cousin." Howard said the last part as quickly as he could before I had the chance to glare at him. I let out a frustrated sigh and gave up before another word war started between us.

"Fair enough." I said, though internally I wanted to smack the back of his head.

It was a quiet ride to the Expo, other than Howard making constant remarks about how crowded it was. I rolled my eyes. Would he just stop talking for once in his life? I asked Mr. Jarvis to accompany Howard backstage while I escorted the Doctor to the recruitment center. He still hadn't found the one that he wanted for Project Rebirth and he was starting to test the Colonel's patience instead.

"Good luck Doctor." I wished him. Dr. Erskine smiled at me and gave my clasped hands a gentle, but reassuring, squeeze.

"Thank you my dear." Dr. Erskine said before turning to leave. I slowly made my way over to the stage. Howard was probably getting ready for the presentation of his latest invention and I didn't want to get in the way of that. The man was already air headed enough, he didn't need me making anymore comments about him.

"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion, and the world of tomorrow, a greater world, a better world." The announcer's recorded voice shouted out over the loud speaker. I heard a large and loud murmur amongst the crowd of people. Soon a crowd of people surge over towards the stage that Howard was on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark." A female dancer announced Howard's entrance and I just shook my head. The man was full of it, as brilliant as he was he was full of it. He had grabbed the female announcer by the waist and gave her a kiss. I rolled my eyes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, what if I told you that in a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." Howard said into the mic. The crowd gasped at the thought of it happening.

"Yes, thanks Mandy." Howard said as the female announcer and the other girls rolled away the wheels on the car that was on display on the stage. I couldn't but roll my eyes at Howard's behavior.

"Never changes," I silently commented as I continued to watch the performance. Howard, though truly brilliant, was quiet stupid at times.

An hour after Howard's presentation I walked backstage to let him know that I was going to go see how Dr. Erskine made out. I warned him that he was not allowed to leave without me or Peggy. To this he responded,

"Yes, mom." I responded with giving him a scowl and a few unladylike words, but who ever said I was a lady? I mean even after living in England for the past six years, changing to fit in, my accent included, I was still a New Yorker in my blood.

"Hello Doctor, were you successful tonight?" I asked Dr. Erskine as I entered the back medical exam room. The curtain was pulled back before I had entered so I had hoped that Dr. Erskine was indeed successful.

"I was my dear. I cannot wait for you to meet him. He is truly a wonderful man." Dr. Erskine said as he packed the last few things into his brief case and smiled at me.

"What's his name?" I asked. I opened the way for Dr. Erskine to lead the way out of the fair. Now that he finally had someone, he believed to be the perfected candidate; the Colonel could finally get off my back.

"Steven Rogers," Dr. Erskine said. I stopped dead in my tracks, my smile no longer on my face.

"Steven Rogers, from Brooklyn Heights?" I asked Dr. Erskine. The Doctor looked at my shocked state, obviously noticing that something was wrong when he said the name, but nodded his head.

"I'm sorry Doctor but which way did he go when he left?" I asked. Dr. Erskine pointed to the left side of the Expo. I didn't wait to explain myself to the Doctor as he called out for me. I could only hope that I wasn't too late in catching Steve before he went home, assuming he still lived in the same apartment.

I ran out of the Expo gates, scanning the crowds as quickly as I could trying to look for the scrawny little punk that also happened to be my best friend. Was he insane?! I thought to myself as I quickly ran after a figure that looked like Steve from behind. Once I caught up to the figure, I quickly realized that it wasn't Steve at all.

"Sorry," I said, then quickly walked away. I once again quickly scanned the large crowd of New Yorkers and came to the conclusion that Steve was already on his way home. My only thought was to get to his apartment before he did. Without thinking I ran back to the area Howard was waiting for me and ordered Mr. Jarvis into the car.

"Hey Sunshine, why you being so pushy?" Howard asked. I glared at him and practically shouted at him to get into the car. Dr. Erskine and Peggy had opted to stay behind, seeing me so uptight was a first for both of them.

"Brooklyn Heights Mr. Jarvis, and please hurry." I ordered Mr. Jarvis. He nearly looked appalled by my request to go to Brooklyn Heights.

"Ms. Dover I should warn you that Brooklyn at this time of night is quiet unsafe for a woman." Mr. Jarvis said, always worried for others safety before his own. It was a trait that I had come to admire from him, even if it did annoy me at times, I knew that he only meant well by it.

"I am well aware of the fact Mr. Jarvis; I used to live there. But I am a grown woman of twenty two, plus I am carrying my weapon. Please hurry." I told Mr. Jarvis. He seemed a little more at ease once I had told him that I was carrying my gun but the concern was still clear on his face as he pulled out of the private parking lot in the back of the Expo. Mr. Jarvis had learned his way around New York quicker that I had expected.

Soon we pulled up to my family's old apartment. The building hadn't changed; in fact much of the block hadn't changed in the six years that I had been gone.

"Stay here; I'll only be a few minutes." I told Mr. Jarvis and Howard as I started to climb out of the car. Before I could make a mad dash up the stairs, Mr. Jarvis opened his door and said,

"Ms. Dover I don't mean to question your safety, but do you really think you should go in there alone?" Mr. Jarvis looked between me and Howard for a moment before I told him that he had best stay with Howard, seeing as if we left Howard on his own he would get into trouble. Mr. Jarvis agreed with my statement and choose to stay with Howard and the car.

As soon as Mr. Jarvis was in the car I turned around and made the mad dash up the stairs and straight to Steve's apartment. I didn't care that it was 10:30 at night. I needed to talk to Steve at once.

I knocked loudly on the old wooden door. I could hear a loud clatter, as though Steve had dropped something, a soft shuffling of feet and a low murmur of Steve's voice. Soon the door opened and I saw a face that I wanted to talk with.

"Steve," I said as soon as the door was open wide enough for me to see his face clearly.

"Ser- Serena?" Steve choked out. For a quick moment my anger was replaced by my concern for Steve. Even though I had been away from him for six years I hadn't forgotten how easily it was for Steve to get sick.

"Are you alright?" I asked, my voice was full of concern for my best friend. Steve, on the other hand, didn't seem to hear my question. His eyes seemed to pop right out of his head when he saw me and he stood there in the door way practically frozen like a statue. It took him a few minutes to regain his composure. He shook his head and grew a smile.

"I'm- I'm fine. Sorry, Rena." I gave him a soft smile when he used my old nickname that only him and Bucky were allowed to call me.

"It's okay," I stepped forward to give him a hug but froze mid-step. Suddenly it dawned on me why I was there in the first place. I pulled back and gave him the cold stare.

"What were you thinking?!" I shouted at him. Steve looked at me like a lost and confused puppy. I let out an angry sigh and rolled my eyes.

"Joining the Army?! Steve are you crazy? They'll kill you in basic training before you actually do anything?" I shouted out once more to my best friend. Steve, still standing in the door way, smiled at my sheepishly. I shook my head and marched into his apartment. I didn't care. I had done it many times before and I wouldn't let the last six years stand in the way of that. I heard Steve shut the door behind me as I continued to walk towards the middle of the room but as I walked I noticed a few pieces of silverware on the floor. Steve must have been doing the dishes when I knocked, scaring him and causing him to drop them on the floor.

"How'd you know that I joined the Army?" Steve asked. I turned around and glared at him. That was his response, no excuses, no defense statements, just 'How'd you know?'

"Are you not listening to me Steve!?" I wanted to rip my hair out because of him. "Why did you join the Army? Do you want to be the runt of the class!?" I shouted out. Instantly I bit down on my Lower lip. I hadn't meant for that to come out harsh. I was just worried. Steve's my best friend, I know how ease it was for him to get sick and with his asthma it would practically be impossible for him to keep up with the rest of the boys in his unit.

"I didn't mean that Steve." I said softly. Steve finally looked up at me and saw that I was truly worried for him.

"I know Rena. You and Bucky worry too much over me. But this is my choice. Rena I finally have a chance to make a difference in the world and I want to take that opportunity. I've got no less of a right to do what others had done for the war." Steve said as he walked closer to me and grabbed my hands. I had to admit that it felt great having Steve hold my hands once more. Ever since freshmen year in High School I had developed a major crush on him. But he barely seemed to notice, so I stuck with being his best friend, other than Bucky.

"I know that Steve. It's just, ... I still see you as the little asthmatic six year old that lived the floor below me. And I don't want anything to happen to you. Steve you're my best friend and I can't imagine my life without you." I said. Tears started to form in my eyes; even as I cursed them to stay back they started to slip. Steve placed his hand on my cheek and whipped away the tears as they fell. He pulled me in for a hug, to which I made no objections. Steve was the same height as me so the hug wasn't awkward at all. I smiled as the tears started to subside.

I felt safe in Steve's hug. His arms weren't big and bulky, like some of the other guys I'd known, but that's what I always thought was special about my Steve. He wasn't strong physically but he was strong in other ways. He was always willing to stand up for the smaller guys, even if he was the smaller one physically.

"Don't think like that Rena, I'll always be here, just like you have always been there for me when I needed it most." Steve said, smirking slightly as he made me look him in his eyes. I gave him and smile and pulled him in for another hug. We stayed like that for a few more moments before finally letting go of one another. I took the chance to really look at Steve. He had most definitely grown but not by much, height-wise at least, his hair had grown a little longer; he seemed to have gained several more pounds since I last saw him, which was always a good thing. But overall he was still the scrawny little school boy that I knew and loved from the beginning.

I excused myself from Steve's company and walked down the stairs to the front door. Mr. Jarvis and Howard were still waiting for me. I walked over to them and told them that they could go and pick up Peggy and the Doctor.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Tell Peggy that I'll be back in the morning." I told Mr. Jarvis. He looked at me like a was crazy for planning to spend the night in this neighborhood but I ordered him to leave, much to Howard's delight. He didn't seem to like the vibe of the neighborhood either, but for me it was home.

I walked back up the stairs in let myself into Steve's apartment with the spare key, still hidden under the loose brick outside his doorway.

"You know you should probably find a new hiding spot for this," I said as I walked in and handed him the key. Steve smiled at me and nodded his head. He left the key on the small coffee table.

"You and Bucky have said the same thing." Steve said. I sat down on the old beat up couch in the middle of his living room and looked up at Steve, who was standing in front of me.

"Come on, sit next to me. You are going to tell me what I miss out on in the last six years that I was gone." I told Steve. Steve did as he was told and sat down next to me on the couch. And that was how I spent the rest of my evening. At my best friend's apartment as he told me the tales of his adventures and how Bucky always ended up pulling his ass out of the fire. 'Somethings,' I thought, 'never change.'

* * *

 **So once again sorry about all the jumping around in the beginning with Serena's back story. I just wanted to fast-ward the last six years of her life since she left New York and moved to England.  
**

 **To clear up small confusions, Serena does have a British Accent but she does slip back into her American Accent when she's around other American's. It's kind of like a switch that flips on and off. The British culture and lifestyle did rub off on her but as I have been told, once a New Yorker always a New Yorker. It's not easy to rid yourself of your roots.**

 **If you have anymore questions that I have not already answered, either in the story or in the pretext paragraphs, please feel free to PM me or leave a review.**


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